Simplified metallic rectifier assembly



March 2, 1954 M. J. RACINE ETAL SIMPLIFIED METALLIC RECTIFIER ASSEMBLY INVENTOR. MARCEL J. RACINE v CLEMENT L. COPPELL fif/brwe y Filed Dec. 5, 1951 between the individual Patented Mar. 2, 1954 SIMPLIFIED METALLIC RECTIFIER ASSEMBLY MarcelJ. Racine, Loch Arbor, and ClementL.

Coppell, .Keansbu-r Application December 3, 1951, Serial No. 259,887

9 Claims.

sec. 26

(Granted under Title 35%)U. S". Code (1-952),

'The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to the dry disc type rectifier and more particularly to the selenium type rectifier.

When two or more rectifiers of the dry disc type are placed in series, the voltage applied to t e rectifier unit is generally divided unequally units comprising the rec.- tifier unit. This is usually true even though each of the rectifiers have been manufactured in as nearly an identical manner as possible and have been subjected to identical pretreatment. As a result of this unequal division of voltage, it is not unusual that various plates within the unit become defective while the remainder remain in good operational condition.

In the conventional dry disc. type rectifier replacement of a defective plate is dii-ficult if not impossible. This is particularly true if. a center plate becomes defective. It becomes highly desirable that defective plates be readily replaceable when the cost of the whole rectifier unit is very high, as is the case with, large rectifier units.

An object. of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing and related disadvantages Another object of this invention. is. to provide a dry disc rectifier unit having readily replaceable plates.

These and other objects of. the present invention will become apparent. from the description and claims that-follow.

In accordance with an embodiment. of. the present invention, a. rectifier unit. is produced comprising av plurality of rectifier plates, and spacing members each having an aperture. therethroigh. Within the apertures there are, inserted a, plurality of insulated interplate connector nuts joined to one another to form a sectionalized stacking bolt about which the elements of. the unit may be assembled. Means for making electrical connections to the. rectifier plates are generally conventional terminal elements and are attached as and when required to. the. rectifier plates.

In a preferred form of the invention, the insulated interplate connector nuts comprise an outer nut member, an inner insert member-land an insulator member. The .imier insert member and the outer nut member generally consist of an electrically conductive material. Extending from one face of the inner insert member is a male threaded bolt element, and extending inwardly from theother face is an internally threaded female portion t-or receivingthe male 3 2, aninsulated member 31,

element of an adjacent connector nut when a plurality of the connector nuts are joined to form the previously described sectionalized stacking bolt. The insulated member is placed between the insert member and the outer nut member to prevent electrical contact between them. The insulator member maybe a plastic molded in place,or it may be in any other desired form. To prevent slippage of the insulator the bearing surfaces of the outer nut and the insert member should be knurled. I

The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- igure '1 is an exploded view of a rectifier unit in accordance with one embodiment of invention,

Figure 2 is :a front'view of an assembled rectifier unit in accordance with the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. '1,

Figure 3 is a side view of "the assembled rectifier unit shown in Fig. 2,;and

Figure 4 is an enlarged side section of the rectifier unit shown in Fig. 3.

.Like parts are identified by like numerals in each of the various figures.

Referring to each of the figures and to Fig. 1 in particular, the rectifier unit of this invention comprises interplate connector nuts to, washers l2, spacing insulators Hf, electrical terminal "lugs 16., 18., 2t, 23 and 26, and rectifier plates '30.

interplate connector nuts 10 -are ea'ch made up of three parts: outer nut member l i: inner insert member f3; and insulator member i5. Inner insert member [3' has, extending from one face; a threaded bolt element 33. 'Ilhe "other face-of'insert member 13 has an internallythreaded aperture 35. therein for receiving the bolt element (or threaded stud) of another interplate connector nut when the rectifier is assembled (as shown in Figures. 2, 3 and-4). The bearing surfaces ll of outer nut member H "and" H! of inner insert member i3 should be knurled to prevent slippage of insulator meniber i5. a preferred form insulator member it may becomp-osed of a molded in place plastic. To vary the spacing between rectifier plates 30' the length of contacting shoulder 9 ot-interplate connector nut t0 may be varied.

Washers [2 are composed of an electrically conductive material such as copper; while spacing insulators l4 are-composed of a nonconductive material such as a nonconducting plastic.

Terminal lugs 16 P8 28, 2'8 and 26 are conventional in the art as arerectifier plates &0. As shown, the plate 30 =c'onsists-et a rectifier "element and electrically conducting backing plates 36. In a preferred bolt. 1 I

rectifier plates 30 are of the selenium type. Each of the members herein disclosed with the exception of interplate connector nuts ill have apertures therein for receiving the'bolt element 33 of nut 10.

The unit shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 consists of four rectifier plates. If an alternating current source is applied to terminal lugs 18 and 28 direct current may be obtained from terminal lugs I6, 20 or 20, 26 (terminals [6 and 26 are connected by lead 40 and are therefore at a common potential). Any combination of rectifier plates may be utilized other than the above which is merely representative of how a unit in accordance herewith may be utilized. I

As many apparently widely; differentembodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope hereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to its specific embodiments except as defined in the appended claims. a

What is claimed is:

1. A rectifier unit comprising a plurality of rectifier plates and spacing members each having an aperture therethrough, and a plurality of insulated complementary interplate connector nuts, each of said connector nuts extending through the aperture of. a respective one of said rectifier plates and said spacing members and being interconnected to form a sectionalized stacking.

2. A rectifier unit comprising a plurality of rectifier plates and spacing members each having an aperture therethrough, means for making electrical connections to said rectifier plates, and a plurality of insulated complementary interplate connector nuts, each of said connector nuts extending through the aperture of a respective one of said rectifier plates and said spacing members and being interconnected to form a sectionalized stacking bolt.

3. A rectifierunit comprising a plurality of rectifier plates and spacing members each having an aperture therethrough, means for making electrical connections to said rectifier plates, and a plurality of three part insulated interplate connector nuts, each of said connector nuts comprising an outer nut member, an inner insert member having a male threaded bolt element extending from one face thereof and an internally threaded aperture extending inwardly from the other face thereof forming a, female portion for receiving the male portion of another of said connector nuts, and an insulator member between said outer nut member and said insert for preventing electrical contact between said nut and said insert, the threaded bolt portion of said connector nuts being inserted within said apertures in said rectifier plates and said spacing members and threadedly engaged within the female portion of an adjacent connector nut to form a sectionalized stacking bolt.

4. A rectifier unit comprising a plurality of rectifier plates and spacing members each of which has an aperture therethrough, and a plurality of complementary connecting members each consisting of an outer conducting portion and an inner conducting portion and an electrical insulator therebetween, each of said connecting members extending through the aperture of a respective one of said rectifier plates and spacing members, and each of said connecting members being connected to another of said connecting members to form a sectionalized stacking 4 5. A rectifier unit comprising a plurality of rectifier plates and spacing members each of which has an aperture therethrough, and a plurality of complementary connecting elements each consisting of an inner conducting member having a given length, an outer conducting member whose length is less than said given length, and an insulating member between said inner and outer members, said insulating member having a length which is less than said given length, all of said members being bonded together to form an integral unit, each of said connecting elements extending through the aperture of a respective one of said rectifier plates and spacing members, and each of said connecting elements being connected to another of said connecting elements to form a sectionalized stacking bolt.

6. A rectifier unit, according to claim 5, wherein'the inner member of each of said connecting elements consists of an outwardly extending male portion and an inwardly extending female portion, said female portion being adapted to receive and engage the male portion of an adjacent complementary connecting element to provide the interconnection of said connecting elements, the male portion of said inner member extending beyond said insulating and outer members.

I. A rectifier unit, according to claim 5, wherein said insulating member encompasses said inner member.

8. A rectifier unit, according to claim 5, wherein said outer member encompasses said insulating member for a portion of the length thereof, the remaining portion of said insulating member extending beyond said outer member.

9. A rectifier unit comprising a plurality of rectifier plates and spacing members each of which has an aperture therethrough, and a plurality of complementary connecting elements each consisting of an inner conducting member having an outwardly extending threaded male portion at the opposite end adapted-to receive and engage the male portion of an adjacent complementary connecting element, said inner member having a given over-all length, an insulating member encompassing said inner member having a length which is less than said given length, an outer conducting member encompassing said insulatin member for a portion of the length thereof, a portion of said insulating member extending beyond said outer member, the male portion of said inner member extendin beyond said insulating and outer members, all three of said members being bonded together to form an integral unit, each of said connecting elements extending through the aperture of a respective one of said rectifier plates and spacing members, and each of said connecting elements being connected to another of said connecting elements to form a sectionalized stacking bolt.

MARCEL J. RACINE. CLEMENT L. COPPELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

